Share this post

Link to post

Virat Kohli: A Delhi son shine storyThe seniors have helped me a lot, they told me I had it in me to do well and made me believe in myself, I owe them much. VIRAT KOHLI, Delhi cricketer
VIRAT KOHLI is visibly uncomfortable. Sitting in the Delhi dressing room at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, India's new U19 skipper watches the unrelenting rain batter the venue of Delhi's match against Karnataka.
He scored a superb 169 the previous day and HT has finally got the young man to sit and talk about himself. Kohli would have preferred to join teammates at the indoor nets at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). But success has its own price and for Kohli, it means not being able to always do what he would like to. "You guys go ahead, I'11 join you soon," Kohli tells his teammates as we settle down for a chat.
Kohli's tale starts at the West Delhi Cricket Academy in Vikaspuri. He joined the centre as a 10-year-old and still practises there. "I always loved cricket and signed up for formal training pretty early," Kohli says. "I have learnt a lot in the academy"
Standing out among peers
At the academy among hopefuls his age and older: Kohli stood out as a player with promise. This catapulted him to the Delhi U-15 captaincy after just one season in the team.
But that, as Kohli says, was just the beginning. "Though I scored tons of runs for the U15s, my big break was the season I had with the U-17 side," Kohli grins. So good was Kohli that he notched up 800 runs in just seven games at that level, including a double ton against Himachal during which, according to many who saw that knock, he hit the ball the hardest they'd seen.
Kohli remembers that innings well. "That was my ticket to recognition. Hadn't I scored runs then, things would have been very different," he says with a sudden air of seriousness.
Kohli never looked back after that, being called up for U-17 camps at the NCA. He shone there too and caught the eye of NCA coach and junior selector Praveen Amre who called him for an India U-19 camp.
Passage to England
In July 2006, Kohli made it to the India U-19 team's tour of England. "Seeing my name on that list was a little funny," Kohli smiles. "After all, I hadn't played for Delhi U-19, and suddenly there I was off to England with the national team!" But the choice wasn't without good reason, and that became clearer when, batting at his favourite No. 4, he became the highest scorer for India with 675 runs as India won the series.
"It was a great feeling, scoring runs on foreign soil for my country... The wickets weren't easy to bat on, and that made me happier," Kohli says, glancing uneasily at the dool: perhaps wishing to escape to the nets. During the current tour to South Africa, Kohli scored 169 runs in 4 games, at an average of 42.25, justifying his elevation to the captaincy by leading his team to the title in the Tri-Nation tournament. And for someone who isn't even a regular nets bowler, he also took five wickets with his medium-pacers.
Boy to man
Conversation turns to Kohli's debut Ranji season, a season that taught him much in a very short span of time. It was, in many ways, the maturing of Virat Kohli, a coming of age. And he agrees. "My first Ranji season taught me a lot - it was a great learning curve, a perfeet opportunity to learn from players who had been around for a while," Kohli says.
But that season taught him much more than just how to become a better cricketer - it taught him how to face life, triumph over tragedy and come out stronger Playing just his second Ranji game, Kohli showed maturity much beyond his years to rise above personal tragedy A day after he lost his father, Kohli hit a stirring, emotional 90 to bail Delhi out of trouble against Karnataka. He proved he had it in him, though he would have undoubtedly liked to pass this test in a different way.
But Kohli is a strong man - the word 'boy' can't be applied to him any more - both physically and, more significantly mentally
And teen again
Kohli's career seems devoid of troughs though it isn't quite that. He mentions an U-19 tour of Sri Lanka when things were just not working out for him. He was unable to convert good starts into big scores. "I was falling to the flick so often that it was frustrating, so I decided to not play it at all." Kohli has come a long way since those days of self-doubt. He has learnt to wait and build an innings, to give himself time in the middle. Talking of his beginnings and his hopes, Kohli spoke with the maturity of a veteran. But then, in a flash, he is a teenager again. "Your favourite shot?" I ask him. "The flick, undoubtedly I love it."

Share this post

Link to post

I think amidst all this hoopla, we don't miss this important news about India U-19's performance in SA.
South Africa U-19s v India U-19s, 1st Test, ChatsworthJadeja bowls India U-19s to victory
Cricinfo staff
January 13, 2008
India Under-19s 259 (Khadiwale 75, Kohli 65) and 82 for 3 (Srivastava 34*, Adams 2-16) beat South Under-19s 164 (Rossouw 83, Sangwan 3-37, Jadeja 2-12) and 176 (Malan 77, Jadeja 5-32) by seven wicketsScorecard
India Under-19s continued their good form with a seven-wicket win over South Africa, to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
India's win was set up by their bowlers who restricted South Africa to less than 200 in both innings. Ravindra Jadeja, the left-arm spinner, took seven in the match including 5 for 32 in South Africa's second innings.
Bowling first, India put themselves in an excellent position after dismissing the hosts for a paltry 164. Only Riley Rossouw stood in their way with 83, and just two other batsmen reached double figures. Pradeep Sangwan took 3 for 37, while Harshad Khadiwale, Garikina Prasad and Jadeja bagged a couple each.
Khadiwale then led India's reply, putting on an unbeaten century stand with Abhinav Mukund at the close of the first day's play. South Africa's bowlers performed little better on the second, restricting India to a lead of 95. Khadiwale, Mukund and Virat Kohli, the captain, scored fifties for India, but the rest of the batsmen failed to drive home the advantage.
South Africa's top order then wiped clean the deficit, finishing day two on 116 for 1, leading by 21. However, India fought back on the final day to dismiss the hosts for 176, with Jadeja picking up five, leaving them a mere 82 to chase.
India's batsmen needed only 15.4 overs to complete an emphatic seven-wicket win. Tanmay Srivastava was unbeaten on 34, while Roy Adams picked up two wickets in his three overs.
The second and final match of the series begins in Chatsworth on January 16.
________________________________________________________
First of all, I wish there were more details in the report about how were our pacers or the spinners or batsmen. It seems as if the report has been prepared on the basis of the scorecard alone.
Secondly, if a side is folding in front of extremely average left arm spin of Ravindra Jadeja, then that hardly says anything about the quality of the opposition.
Thirdly, this match was not played on any of the main grounds that SA has and hence the effort of giving the exposure to our young players of the different pitches of SA has gone in vain as well. I don't think BCCI even cares about the venues or ground our players have to play in.
So, in short, this tour is not achieving anything!!

Share this post

Link to post

Now showing, Tyagi, the latest pace aceNihal Koshie
Tuesday, January 15, 2008 03:39 IST
MUMBAI: Strapping young medium pacers are the flavour of the season with Uttar Pradeshâ€™s Sudeep Tyagi rising up the bowling charts to become the second highest wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophyâ€™s Elite division going into the final.
Rajastanâ€™s Pankaj Singh, Delhiâ€™s Ishant Sharma and Punjabâ€™s VRV Singh have in the past 20 months made selectors sit up and take notice.
Going by what Tyagi has done in his debut season, it may not be long before he is given greater responsibility.
The Ranji final against a strong Delhi batting line-up, including Aakash Chopra and Gautam Gambhir, provides the chance for Tyagi to showcase his wares on domestic cricketâ€™s biggest platform.
Itâ€™s the 20-year-oldâ€™s first visit to Mumbai but is at ease while stepping into the foyer of the grand five-star team hotel.
For someone as raw; with no academy-backed training, without a reputed coach and no godfather, Tyagi has a well-developed in-cutter - a delivery that has given him good purchase this season.
When Tyagi made his debut against Bengal â€” a match in which he took 10 wickets â€” he had just three under-22 matches and two wickets under his belt.
â€œI was picked for the under-17 team but didnâ€™t get a game. I went for the Ranji trials in Kanpur and was picked for the camp. In the meantime, I played two under-22 games and then at the start of the season got my break,â€ Tyagi recalls. In his early days, Tyagi used to travel by bus from Ghaziabad to Meerut; four times a week, to take tips from former UP wicket-keeper Vipin Vats.
But that was as sophisticated his training got. â€œWhatever skills I possess now is more or less natural. Once the season is over, I want to further hone my skills. Maybe I would go to the pace academy in Chennai.â€
Tyagi, a second year B.Com student, wants to increase his pace, add variety to his repertoire and learn the nuances of setting-up a batsman soon. â€œThis season I have been focussed on bowling the good balls without trying to get a wicket every delivery. I just kept it plain and simple and didnâ€™t clutter my mind with too many thoughts. So far it has worked.â€
Mohammad Kaif, the UP skipper, believes that Tyagiâ€™s biggest strength is his ability to quickly learn, something that characterised the rise of left-arm seamer RP Singh. Ashish Winston Zaidi, a veteran of 110 first class games and now the team manager, believes that Tyagi indeed has the potential to make it big. So far, Tyagi seems on track.
Chopra writing a book
Delhi opener Aakash Chopra is penning a book on cricket that he hopes to publish before the next first-class season. Chopra has a book by his side whenever he travels and the idea of writing one has been in his mind for a while. â€œIt is not a work of fiction, but will be based on what I have seen over the years.
Obviously it is going to be about cricket, but I donâ€™t want to reveal too much at this moment,â€ he said. At present he is reading a series containing four books, titled Emperor, on Julius Cesar. Among his favourite books are Lance Amrstrongâ€™s Itâ€™s Not About The Bike, Every Second Counts, Nasser Hussainâ€™s Playing with Fire and Mike Athertonâ€™s Opening Up.
Gambhir fit for tri-series
Delhi skipper Gautam Gambhir said that he has fully recovered from a shoulder injury that hampered his throwing arm and is now looking forward to play the tri-series in Australia.
â€œThe doctors advised me not to throw for three weeks and while I missed the game against Karnataka, in the next two matches I have been fielding at slips most of the time.
Now, I am fully okay and can thrown from 85 yards out,â€ Gambhir, said. â€œI was taking pain-killers and playing but it got to a stage where the doctor told me that if I aggravate it, I could be out for five months. I was upset I wasnâ€™t picked for the Test series in Australia because of the injury.â€

Share this post

Link to post

DELHI VS UP: RANJI FINALDelhi bring home the trophy after 16 seasons
Most teams are built around one player, one player who is above the rest, one player who the rest of the team looks up to when the chips are down, one player who has the ability to turn a game around. Most teams, however, don't win championships.
It takes more than just one player to win a title - it takes an entire team. Each and every member of a squad has a role to play in success, prima donnas might catch the eye and look great doing what they do, but it's the foot soldiers that earn victory .
Perhaps, this has been the reason for Delhi's success this Ranji season, the equal contribution by each and every member of the squad. Delhi is a side brimming with big names, names that have proved themselves at the international cricket, names that have won games for their country .
But this season, these players were just names on a team sheet, they were all equals in a squad, everyone was playing for Delhi and that was all that mattered. No matter how big or small a player was, no matter how experienced or inexperienced he was, they gelled with each other, laughed with each other, played with each other and won with each other. Be it a Parwinder Awana or an Aakash Chopra, when on the field or off it, both were equals.
And possibly, it was this parity in the treatment that got this bunch playing together as a team. In each of the nine games Delhi played this season there was at least one standout performance. It didn't seem to matter who delivered, as long as the results came.
It is said that every win is a team effort, but if ever there was one in the true sense of the term, it is this. Every player has played a part, some small, some a little bigger, in this remarkable run to the top. Every match saw a hero emerge, one that got Delhi just that little bit closer to eventual glory. HT looks back at all those nine games and the men who made the difference.
Game 1 vs Rajasthan
The season got off to the worst possible start. Playing at home, the famed Delhi batting was bundled out for only 119 in the first innings. It looked like it would be yet another season of fighting relegation and controversy, with the team making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. But that wasn't how it panned out.
The bowlers, led by the debutant Pradeep Sangwan struck back in style, wiping Rajasthan out for 85 and give Delhi a most unlikely first innings lead. Mithun Manhas and Virat Kohli scored tons in the second innings to set a stiff target for the visitors. Rajasthan capitulated and Delhi won in style. Star of the show: Pradeep Sangwan.
Though he did play the one-dayers last season, this was his first four-day game and he showed just why he was picked at just 17. A new star was born.
Game 2 vs Saurashtra
Delhi dropped points in this game, largely thanks to a superlative effort from Cheteshwar Pujara in the second innings. The batting failed in the first, but roared in the second. Sparkling centuries from Aakash Chopra and Shikhar Dhawan ensured Saurashtra had a stiff target to chase. In the end, Delhi fell just a wicket short of a win. Not that it mattered in the end, though.
Stars of the show: Chopra and DhawanTwo contrasting centuries from the openers saw Delhi seize the initiative and take a loss out of the equation. It was power hitting at its best from Dhawan and another display of technical brilliance from Chopra.Game 3 vs Mumbai
The big one. Up against the champions, this was Delhi's first real test this season. And they passed it rather comfortably .
The pace duo of Sangwan and Ishant Sharma ran through Mumbai for 166, and the batsmen ensured Delhi had a first innings lead and three points to their name. Though Mumbai fought back, a ton from Gautam Gambhir and an 81 from Chopra saw the game drawn and Delhi take the points.
Stars of the show: Chopra and Gambhir. The two big guns showed Mumbai who's the boss.Game 4 vs Himachal Pradesh
The only blip this season. An inexplicable 75 all out saw Delhi concede the lead, but Chopra smacked a doubleton in the second, while Gambhir scored a century to avoid defeat.
Stars of the show: Chopra and Gambhir. Do we need to say more? Game 5 vs Maharashtra
This is where the season turned around. Delhi went to the group leaders' home and beat them hollow. Remarkable show. Stars of the show: Rajat Bhatia, Five wickets and a ton. Parwinder Awana, A hat-trick.
Game 6 vs Karnataka Washed out, yet three centurions. Delhi's semifinal chances looked in danger after this game. Stars of the show: Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and MithunManhas. All scored tons in the mammoth 538.
Game 7 vs Tamil Nadu
Had to win this, and they did. The bats chipped in, while Chetnya Nanda spun Delhi to victory with a fiver.
Star of the show: Chetnya NandaSemifinal vs Baroda
Rather convincing win for Delhi. Amit Bhandari and Sumit Narwal got the wickets, while Manhas and Gambhir got the runs.
Stars of the show: Bhandari, Narwal, Manhas and Gambhir.
Final vs Uttar Pradesh
Sangwan got a fiver, Chopra, Bhatia and Gambhir tons as Delhi produced a stirring fight-back in the title decider.
Stars of the show: The entire team.

Share this post

Link to post

WON BY - DELHI AS RANJI CHAMPIONS
399 runs vs Karnataka in Bangalore (1978-79)
240 runs vs Mumbai in Delhi (Kotla) (1979-80)
1st innings lead vs Karnataka in Delhi (Kotla) (1981-82)
Inns & 141 runs vs Haryana in Delhi (Kotla) (1985-86)
Inns & 210 runs vs Bengal in Delhi (Kotla) (1988-89)
1st innings lead vs Tamil Nadu in Delhi (Kotla) (1991-92)
9 wickets vs UP in Mumbai (WS) (2007-08)In a first of its kind for Delhi, the team won the final despite conceding a first innings lead.Memorable day for skipper GambhirNot many teams in Ranji Trophy win a match after conceding the first innings lead. And not many teams chase a target of 230 successfully, that too in the final. Delhi did both and with conviction. And the man who guided them to their first title in 16 years was skipper Gautam Gambhir.Gambhir, out for a duck in the first innings, came out with an attacking mindset in the second essay The south . paw smacked the Uttar Pradesh bowlers during his unbeaten 130, which came off just 154 balls. Gambhir's knock - his second hundred in as many games - reinforced the saying "when the going gets tough, the tough get going". In fact, Gambhir had played a similar knock 10 days ago to help Delhi reach the final while chasing 271 against Baroda at Indore."It's obviously a great feeling to be captaining the Delhi and winning the Trophy," Gambhir said later. The winners got a huge cash bonanza from the DDCA who announced an award of Rs 21 lakh in addition to the Rs 50 lakh they pocketed as prize-money . "A senior has to set an example for the youngsters. It's a special feeling to have shouldered the responsibility." Gambhir played his part to perfection on Friday when the chips were down. During the tea break on Day Three, when UP were going strong at 123 for two in their second innings, it was Gambhir's pep talk that spurred his teammates."Gautam spoke some very positive things to the players during the tea break," said Delhi coach Vijay Dahiya. "He told the boys ‘we never win silver, we always lose gold', and the result is there for everyone to see." Delhi got four wickets for seven runs after the play resumed. Dahiya, who was a member of the Delhi team when it played the final and lost, was happy to have got his hands on the trophy in his first year as coach. "It's not my achievement, the players have won it," said Dahiya. "I just told them I had a dream which didn't materialise when I was playing and this was the best possible chance to do it."Gambhir said he felt proud holding the trophy "It's such a great feeling to have contributed to Delhi cricket," he said, adding "whenever people will talk about Delhi in the years to come, our names will always be mentioned."

Share this post

Link to post

Sangwan on a firm wicket My wickets have helped, no doubt, but our success has been a complete team effort:PRADEEP SANGWAN
The sun is setting in Dharamsala and Delhi are making a late, late charge for victory over Himachal in the final session of the final day The tourists need five more wickets, the hosts, bad light. Ishant Sharma has just bowled his heart out to pick up four wickets, but no other bowler can follow up his fire from the other end, and Himachal hold on.
Watching this drama unfold from the sidelines is a certain Pradeep Sangwan, sitting out with a twisted ankle. "I wished I could have played there, I could have made a difference," he later tells HT at Nagothane. And knowing the young man, he would have too.
It has been a dream journey for this 18-year-old rookie. In his debut firstclass season, Sangwan has picked up 33 wickets at 19.24 from seven games to give Delhi the Ranji title after 16 years. "It has been great. I got wickets and the team won the title," Sangwan says, the satisfaction evident in his tone. And satisfied Sangwan should be too. For he has bowled with fire, intelligence and pace throughout the season to make a huge difference to De1hi's fortunes this season.Tell Sangwan that, however, and he just smiles sheepishly. "My wickets have helped, no doubt, but our success has been a team effort."
Sangwan's journey starts in the bylanes of Najafgarh and the Tennis Ball cricket tournaments. Sangwan had a visitor during one of those matches. A.N. Sharma, better known as Virender Sehwag's coach, had heard about a young left-armer getting wickets by the dozen and decided to take a look. He obviously liked what he saw and soon took Sangwan under his wings. "Sir (Sharma) taught me a lot. He helped me become a better bowler," Sangwan says with humility.
Whatever Sangwan learnt under Sharma, sure worked. He shone with the Delhi u-17s and 19s and was soon in the Ranji one-day squad. Sangwan did pretty well in the two games he played, picking up seven wickets. That stint with the senior side was, in a way, the start of Sangwan's rise.
Having made it to the state team, the next natural progression was the national one. And that came too. Sangwan was soon spearheading the India u-19 pace attack, knocking batsmen over with alarming regularity Having done so well with the u-19s, Sangwan's inclusion to the Delhi Ranji Trophy squad this season was but a foregone conclusion. "He was one of the first names we decided on," said a selector after announcing the team.
Sangwan soon became an integral part of the team, picking up wickets in almost every game. In fact, so vital Sangwan had become that the DDCA almost took on the BCCI to try and stop him from flying out to South Africa with the India u-19 squad. Though they couldn't hold on to him for the semis, Sangwan was back for the final against UP, back with a bang.
In many ways, it was Sangwan who got Delhi the Trophy that sunny Saturday at the Wankhede. His five-for in the second innings stopped UP dead in their tracks, and gave Delhi a relatively easy target to chase. The way Sangwan moved the ball on a fourth day wicket to trouble the batsmen was a treat to watch and proof that he was on his way to becoming the finished article.
If Sehwag is the Nawab of Najafgarh, Sangwan is the undoubted heir apparent. But Sangwan assures this is just the beginning. "I want to do much better:" he says. So, how soon does he hope to play for the country? "I should be there in two years," he replies without batting an eyelid.
It is this rare mixture of confidence and humility that has had people talking about Pradeep Sangwan as a player who not only looks the part of a matchwinner; but plays it too. And that's not all he has to live up to - Sangwan even has a wager with his teammate and buddy Ishant Sharma to see who between the two gets more wickets this season. Kids, after all, will be kids.
------------------------------------------------
Hope the kid is taken care of and makes rapid strides!!!

Share this post

Link to post

just 17, its good that he got this ranji expsoure..and also performed well.. another season and tw0 would be good for him
and its nice that being part of u19 team he would get to tour difff countries and get a feel of it..
went to saf alredy..

Share this post

Link to post

just 17, its good that he got this ranji expsoure..and also performed well.. another season and tw0 would be good for him
and its nice that being part of u19 team he would get to tour difff countries and get a feel of it..
went to saf alredy..

And played at some unknown venue. We don't know what kind of pitch that venue had. Whats the point of sending your U-19 squad or A team to different countries if they don't get to play at the main venues where the senior team will play?
We went to Australia in 2006 with A team but played at Cairns and Darwin. What kind of exposure does that give? Will the senior team ever play there? So where is the exposure of playing on seaming/bouncy tracks? Just the name SA or Australia should not suffice.
But who will explain that to BCCI??

Share this post

Link to post

Summary of Ranji 2007-08
Winning the final inside four days, after conceding a first innings lead to rival UP, demanded high commitment levels. The Delhi captain Gautam Gambhir said he did not have to say much to spark a fightback except provoke pride. Nandakumar Marar reports.
The triumphant Delhi team.
The turnaround for Delhi in Ranji Trophy, from the brink of relegation a couple of seasons ago to a podium finish in the 2007-08 Elite group as Indiaâ€™s champion side, is a little difficult to explain. Damage control in place of chaos was the operative word here, with administrators reviewing their approach regarding team selection. The senior players took a step forward by gaining a voice in the choice of coach. Vijay Dahiya came on as team coach and Manoj Prabhakar as bowling coach. A feeling of commitment seeped in with players, coaches and administrators trying to move in the same direction despite differences.
As skipper Gautam Gambhir put it after Delhiâ€™s nine-wicket win over Uttar Pradesh at the Wankhede Stadium, self-belief and hunger for success overcame negative thoughts and cynicism as the team remained a step ahead of the opposition. â€œI do not think about matters not in my control,â€ replied Gambhir, evading tricky queries about Delhi cricket politics spilling over to cricket. When the moment of reckoning arrived, the captain was there to goad his players into action. â€œI wanted Delhi to feel the hurt when they start losing. We have experienced all kinds of lows earlier, it was important for the players to feel the highs also.â€
The India opener had deeds to back his words, back-to-back tons in the second innings in the semifinals (versus Baroda) and final (versus UP) when Delhi chased targets, projecting him as a natural leader whose batting did not get bogged down due to responsibility. â€œThe team was gelling well, peaking at the right time this season. I urged the players to make the most of it. We donâ€™t know what will happen next time,â€ said Gambhir, toughened by the personal experience of being asked to prove his batting ability in the longer version of the game.
Winning the final inside four days, after conceding a first innings lead to rival UP, demanded high commitment levels. The captain said he did not have to say much to spark a fightback except provoke pride. â€œIt is important to experience that feeling of winning the Ranji Trophy. I told the boys that there is no use playing first-class cricket for a long time and not experience that feeling.â€ Gambhirâ€™s personal example, bettering a zero in the first innings with an unbeaten 130 in the second (17 fours, 155 balls) in Delhiâ€™s charge for victory, was critical.
Gautam Gambhir... a splendid hundred in the second innings.
Pradeep Sangwan, the young pace bowler, had bowled a fiery spell of 5-3-5-3 earlier to give UP, riding a 175-run first innings lead, the second innings blues. The urgency to seize the moment separated the champion from the challenger as Aakash Chopra and Shikhar Dhawan ensured against any shocks. Virender Sehwag, known to speak his mind without fear of consequences, telephoned from Perth to inquire about his state sideâ€™s progress. The presentation ceremony was on, so the senior spoke to Gambhir later and conveyed his greetings to the team.
If Sehwagâ€™s interest in the Ranji final was proof of the bonding within, there were others showing exceptional commitment. Rajat Bhatiaâ€™s all-round display in the final (139 not out, two wickets and two catches) was an example of a quiet achiever working in the background. Prabhakar worked on the pace bowlers, convincing Sangwan, Sumeet Narwal, Amit Bhandari, Bhatia and even Ishant Sharma (prior to the Australia tour) on the merits of putting the ball in the right areas depending on the wicket behaviour and match situation.
â€œDelhi did not have a specialist spinner, so the fast bowlers got the job done. I tried to pass on my knowledge and experience of Indian wickets, worked on Ishantâ€™s approach to the bowling crease and showed Sangwan the benefit of bowling with a high-arm action,â€ said one of Indiaâ€™s best known exponents of swing bowling, Manoj Prabhakar. He also stressed how important sporting wickets were in the development of first-class cricket and appreciated the BCCIâ€™s decision to play the Ranji final at the Wankhede Stadium, a neutral venue.
â€œI have not come across such a sporting wicket in Mumbai in my entire career,â€ said the Delhi bowling coach, referring to curator Sudhir Naikâ€™s handiwork. â€œThe bowlers got help from the wicket, the batsmen were tested even on the fourth day, centuries were scored. India needs such types of wickets at all centres hosting first-class matches. Centres should be given help in preparing sporting tracks, with the threat of punishment or fines to associations making wickets to suit the home teamâ€™s strengths.â€
Dilip Vengsarkar, chairman of selectors and witness to Indian batsmenâ€™s difficulties against the moving ball, too appreciated the neutral venue policy. â€œNext time, even the Ranji Trophy semifinals should be played at neutral venues, so that the contest between batsmen and bowlers takes place on sporting wickets,â€ observed the ex-India Test and former Mumbai Ranji captain, after handing over the trophy to Gambhir. He was present along with Sanjay Jagdale and Bhupinder Singh for the Elite final.
Praveen Kumar with skipper Md. Kaif. The UP medium pacer bagged eight wickets in the first innings.
The three selectors watched UP pace sensation Praveen Kumar rattle the Delhi batsmen in the first innings with a rich haul of 8-68 (amidst centuries by Aakash Chopra and Bhatia). Prabhakar emphasised that this was the right time to expose Praveen to international cricket. â€œHe is young, hungry for recognition and so will be eager to learn quickly about the adjustments needed. You have to keep improving at a constant rate,â€ said the Delhi coach, pointing to Ishantâ€™s growing reputation as a young tearaway in Australia.
Gujarat overcame the embarrassment of relegation from the Elite group with a collective, conscious effort to climb out of the hole and were rewarded with the Plate group title at the Railwaysâ€™ expense. â€œThe players were upset when the relegation happened. We were told that the standard in the Plate division was low and that performances donâ€™t count,â€ explained captain Parthiv Patel, putting Gujaratâ€™s fall and rise in perspective. â€œWe, the players, took a collective decision that qualification for the Elite group would be our first priority. Iâ€™m happy we ended up winning the Plate championship.â€
The Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) chipped in with cash incentives for team and individual efforts. â€œThe GCA announced Rs. 1 lakh for reaching the semifinals, Rs. 3 lakh for winning the Plate final and Rs. 2000 each for players scoring 100, taking five wickets or five catches,â€ said Parthiv, for whom the prospect of competing in the Plate group after tasting the popularity of being an international cricketer can be imagined.
He excelled in batting and wicket-keeping roles and also kept the players focussed on the task at hand.
Niraj Patel in the middle-order, fast bowlers Ashraf Makda, Siddharth Trivedi and off-spinner Mohnish Parmar offered timely support. Newcomers Amit Singh and Jay Mehta held their nerve in tense situations. Gujarat chased a victory target of 150 set by the Railways at the Brabourne Stadium, sneaking home by one wicket and in the process creating a unique record of three teams from one state (Gujarat, Baroda and Saurashtra) in the Ranji Elite league in 2008. Parthiv felt that the craze for cricket in the region and development efforts taken up by state associations like the GCA at the junior levels were instrumental for this happy state of affairs.
Saurashtraâ€™s phenomenal performance in 2007-08 drew everyoneâ€™s attention. Parthiv pointed out the reasons: â€œCheteshwar Pujara had an outstanding run with the bat, Sandeep Jobanputraâ€™s bowling helped Saurashtra and Sitanshu Kotak is known for getting runs under pressure. Any team with two or three such standout performers will go far, so you know why the side progressed to the Elite semifinals.â€
Rebuilding, and doing it well, too
Uttar Pradesh and Indian Railways, the Elite and Plate runners-up, are going through a rebuilding phase. Thus their progress to the final ahead of established sides is creditable. UPâ€™s flow of natural talent and Railwaysâ€™ move to induct youth will help the two former Ranji champions to emerge stronger. It will be a big bonus, too, if they can get training facilities on a par with organised set-ups like Karnataka or Mumbai.
UP lost the gifted Shalabh Srivastava to the Indian Cricket League, while veterans Ashish Zaidi and Gyanendra Pandey have opted for coaching. A raw talent from the U-22 ranks, fast bowler Sudeep Tyagi, has made a big impact. The depth of cricketing talent in the state can be gauged from the fact that the youngster, overlooked by the state U-22 selectors, caught captain Mohd. Kaifâ€™s attention and Kaif along with Ranji coach Pandey drafted Tyagi into the senior ranks.
Fast bowlers hunt in pairs, so Tyagi and India one-day bowler Praveen Kumar formed a lethal new ball combination under Zaidiâ€™s guiding hand. Praveenâ€™s eight-wicket burst in the final was a stunning exhibition of controlled swing bowling.
Tanmay Srivastava, an India U-19 player, but already making a name in Ranji Trophy, played a polished knock for UP in the first innings against Delhi.
Railways are back where they belong, the Elite division, after qualifying for the Plate final at the Brabourne Stadium. Ranji Trophy winners at one time, the horror of relegation to the Plate league was compounded by the loss of all-rounder J. P. Yadav, batsman Shreyas Khanolkar and T. P. Singh to the ICL. These three are good players capable of turning a match around.
The team management kept faith in Abhay Sharmaâ€™s player-management ability and the ex-Ranji skipper and current coach drafted in the young Harshad Rawle and Karan Sharma. Mahesh Rawat, a gifted wicket-keeper from Haryana, joined the squad and as the season progressed, the pieces fell into place. Sharma already had a core group of internationals in Murali Kartik, Sanjay Bangar, Harvinder Singh and the experienced spinner Kulamani Parida.
A motivated Railways side almost snatched the Plate title, losing by just one wicket after a stunning show of swing bowling by Sanjay Bangar reduced Gujarat to 78-4 and then 143-9 in the second innings. Eventually, the Gujarat tailenders survived tense moments before the unflappable Jay Desai took the team home. Railways and Gujarat can give any Elite group team a tough time, Saurashtra came within one match away from the final.
So, apart from a new Elite champion in Delhi, the struggle faced by last yearâ€™s champion Mumbai and the partial eclipse of two-time finalist Bengal, relegated to the Plate category, shows how the Ranji Trophy has become a tough competition.
No spectators
Sporting wickets, but virtually empty stands greeted the Ranji Trophy Elite finalists at the Wankhede Stadium and the Plate finalists at the Brabourne Stadium. The players, coaches and selectors relished the contest between bat and ball on neutral tracks, which made for engrossing cricket. At the same time, the absence of spectators for Indiaâ€™s premier domestic competition can be attributed to home team Mumbaiâ€™s absence from either final. Should the BCCI continue with the policy of hosting Ranji finals at neutral venues, even if it means risking the possibility of Indiaâ€™s best first-class teams performing in front of only a few die-hard fans?
Dilip Vengsarkar, chairman of selectors, argues strongly in favour of neutral venues. â€œMumbai played a few Ranji league games against other teams at the Wankhede this season, the stands were still empty except for a few cricket followers. So instead of focussing on attracting spectators, let us have good cricket on sporting wickets, so that the Ranji finals result in a test of playersâ€™ skills.â€
The last time Wankhede Stadium buzzed with noise and excitement from the stands with crowds coming to watch cricket was during the 2006-07 final between Mumbai and Bengal. Vengsarkar points out that the presence of stars in both the teams brought in fans. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly were among the crowd-pullers in the five-day final.
â€œPeople came to see Sachin and Ganguly. The number of fans coming to cheer the home team were few in comparison,â€ Vengsarkar said.
Apart from the big two, the Mumbai-Bengal contest saw other India players â€” Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar, Ramesh Powar and Rohit Sharma â€” in the home team and Rohan Gavaskar and Ranadeb Bose in the opposition.
So Ranji finalists at full strength, competing on sporting wickets at neutral venues is of more value to Indian cricket than home advantage. The BCCIâ€™s scheduling becomes more critical, to avoid an overlapping of dates between Ranji finals and Indiaâ€™s overseas tours.
Delhi missed captain Virender Sehwag and pace ace Ishant Sharma in the Elite final, Uttar Pradesh did not have R. P. Singh to open the attack.
Team Indiaâ€™s tour of Australia clashed with the final dates.To complicate matters, the India U-19 tour of South Africa was also on, forcing the Board to release Delhiâ€™s Pradeep Sangwan and UPâ€™s Tanmay Srivastava for the Mumbai match-up. But it declined Delhiâ€™s request for India U-19 captain Virat Kohli.
Two India players canâ€™t play, nor can the national junior skipper join his state team in a five-day game to decide Indiaâ€™s champion side. Delhi still won, but need future Ranji champions suffer for want of match-winners, because India needs them more?
Prize money list:
Ranji Elite champion Rs. 50 lakh (Delhi),
runner-up Rs. 25 lakh (Uttar Pradesh).
Losing semifinalists: Rs. 10 lakh each (Baroda and Saurashtra).
Ranji Plate champion Rs. 25 lakh (Gujarat),
runner-up: Rs. 15 lakh (Indian Railways).
Losing semifinalists: Rs. 7.5 lakh each (Kerala and Madhya Pradesh).